Tobacco web feeding and cutting machine



Aug. 5, 1958 H. H. WHEELER ToBAcco WEB FEEDING AND CUTTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5. 1955 Aug. 5, 1958 H. HjwHEELER TOBACCO was FEEDINC AND CUTTING MACHINE:

6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1955 INVENTOR HENRY H. WHEELER BY ATTORNEY WNW Aug. 5, 1958 H. H. WHEELER TOBACCO WEB FEEDING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

- e sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 5. 1955 ENN mwm NNN lNyENToR HENRY H. WHEELER BY ATTO R N EY Aug. 5, 1958 H. H. WHEELER E 2,846,010

TOBACCO WEB FEEDING AND CUTTING MACHINE l Filed May 5, 1955 A 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.4

lNvENTOR HENRY H. WHEELER BY zfff@ ATTORNEY Aug. 5, 1958 H. H. WHEELER TOBACCO WEB FEEDING AND CUTTING MCHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 5, 1955 www @5 @WN w N R w H f w mw R WH. m lY A R www m Hm N 9.....

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HENRY H. WHEELER ATTORNEY United States Patent C TOBACCO WEB nnnniNG AND CUTTmG MACHiNE Henry H. Wheeler, Bellerose, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application May S, 1955, Serial No. 506,129

16 Claims. (Cl. 164-212) This invention relates to cigar machines, more particularly to automatic feeds for web binder and Wrapper material to high speed cigar machines.

The use of such web material has increased in recent years and the need for suitable automatic mechanical feeds of such material to a cigar machine has increased.

The main object of the present invention is to automatically feed the wrapper and/or binder material in the form of a continuous web of tobacco sheet material, for example of the type taught in the patent to Gladeck 2,316,784, dated April 20, 1943.

It is an object of this invention to provide the means for drawing the leading end of a web across a suction table and severing the leading end from the web while Iat the same time shaping it in a suitable form for use in a desired cigar.

It is a further object of this invention to sever a predetermined length of said severed sheet material from the leading end of a web and deliver it to the binder or wrapper transfer of a cigar machine.

A further object of this invention is to devise a mechanism that may be readily and automatically timed with the operation of a cigar machine and operated therefrom so that a portion of a web may be fed in timed relation to a binder or wrapper station of a cigar machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide in such an automatic web feeding device a cutting system that Will pre-shape a severed portion of the web and accordingly obviate the necessi-ty of die cutting.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the automatic roll tobacco sheet feed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the actuating and driving mechanisms of the roll tobacco sheetrfeed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the automatic roll tobacco sheet feed taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the automatic roll tobacco sheet feed taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detailed plan view of the suction feed head in conjunction With the suction table and cutting mechanisms;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same illustrating a swingable shearing knife taken on line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is another end elevation of the same illustrating another swingable shearing knife taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional end elevation through one of the cutting knives taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a partial sectional end elevation taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 5 illustrating the shearing knife on the opposite end of the suction table in conjunction with the suction feed head and pickup table;

Fig. 10 is a plan View of a modified tobacco roll sheet feed and cutting mechanism illustrating a suction table with cutting mechanism at one end only and an automatic cutting roller lifting device, and

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of Fig. 10.

ICC

With reference to the drawings, the tobacco sheet or web W is pulled from the roll or reel R by a pair of intermittently driven feed rollers 20, 22. The machine 4 is started by placing the leading end of web W on a suction pickup table 24. This leading end is then picked up from table 24 by reciprocating suction feed head 26 (Fig. 9) carried across a suction table 28 (Figs. 8 and 9) and deposited thereon. Feed head 26 then returns to its original starting position.

The suction table 28 (Fig. 5) is vertically movable and is surrounded by a stationary frame 30. The table 28 has secured to it at one end a knife 36 and at its other end the ledger plates 234 and 236 which coact with knives 32 and 34. These knives cut a properly shaped binder on the table 28. The shaped binder is then picked up by a suitable transfer T (Fig. 1) for delivery to the rolling apron of the cigar machine (not shown). The transfer T does not form a par-t of this invention and may be of the type and construction shown in my Patent 2,287,004 dated lune 16, 1942.

The reel R (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) is supported by a shaft 38 rotatably held in suitable bearings of a frame bracket 40 fastened to the bed 42 of the cigar machine. Feed roller 20 is mounted on the shaft 44 which is also supported in suitable bearings of the bracket 40. Shaft 44 has a gear 46 which meshes with a gear 48 secured to a ysleeve 49 co-axially secured to the second feed roller 22. Sleeve 49 is rotatably supported by shaft 50 which is provided at both ends with eccentric extensions 52. Extensions 52 are supported by bearing blocks 54 slidably confined in slots 56. Both blocks 54 are arrested at the bottom of the slot by means of a vertical supporting stud 58 secured in frame bracket 40. Each bearing block 54 has a compression spring 55 confined in bracket 40 and bearing downwardly on block 54.

A lever 60 is secured to one of the extensions 52 for the purpose of lifting roller 22 upward during threading operation by rotating eccentric extensions 52. Lever 60 also has a tension spring 62 suitably anchored to the main frame bracket 40 and employed to keep lever 60 in a downward position during operation of the web feed. The web W before reaching feed rollers 20, 22 is guided over an idler roller 64 on a shaft66 supported by a pair of arms 68 secured to a shaft 70 which is supported at both ends in suitable bearings of bracket 40. Shaft 70 carries a trip finger 72 employed for the purpose of contacting and breaking a contact in a microswitch 74 in case of a slack, breakage or exhaustion of the web W. The microswitch may be suitably wired to a warning system or to the electric drive control of the cigar machine.

Feed roller 20 is driven through its sprocket 76. by a chain 78 which is guided over an idler sprocket 80 and attached to a bracket 82 slidably supported by a horizontal rail 84 secured to the main bed 42 of the machine. Bracket 82 through a link 86 is reciprocated by an arm 88 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is pivotally secured to a suitable shaft 90 supported by the main frame of the machine (not shown). Arm 88 through an adjustable rod 92 is connected to a stud 94 adjustably secured Iin a slot 96 of an arm 98 pivotally mounted to a stud 100 (Fig. 2). Arm 98 in a bell crank fashion has a cam lever 102 carrying a cam roller 104 engaging a cam track 106 in a cam 108 mounted on a cam shaft 110 continuously driven from the main drive of the cigar machine and supported by suitable bearings in the main frame.

The hub of sprocket 76 engages with a conventional one-way ball clutch 112 (Figs. 3 and 4) employed for the purpose of changing the reciprocating movement of bracket 82 transmitted through chain 78 and sprocket 76 to one-way intermittent rotaryl motion on shaft 44.

As mentioned above, the machine is started by placing the leading end of Web W on the top surface of the pickup table 24 whose forward end is provided with holes 25 (Figs. and 9) connected to a suction chamber 27 supplied with suction by a duct 29 (Fig. 5) connected to a butterfly valve 126. The suction holds the leading end of the web on the pickup table 24. A web feed head 26, positioned above the Vforward end of the pickup table 24, is adjustably suspended from a forked bracket 114 pivotally' supported on a shaft 116. Shaft 116 is stationarily secured to a bearing bracket 118 (Fig. 3) mounted on the reciprocating bracket 82. The suction feed head 26 is of hollow construction and at its bottom surface is` provided with a plurality of communicating holes 120. Suction is applied to the hollow interior of head 26 by a communicating flexible duct or tube 122 connected to a butteriiy valve 124.

Butterfiy valves 124 and 126 are alternatively opened and closed by a shaft 128 so that in cycle suction is passed from table 24 to head 26. Both butterfly valves communicate with another suction chamber 130 connected through duct 132 to a suita'ble source of suction (not shown). Shaft 128 is operated from an arm 134 whose free end through a rod 136 is connected to a cam lever 138 (Fig. 2) pivotally secured to a shaft 140. Cam lever 138 carries a cam roller 42 engaging with cam 144 mounted on the main cam shaft 110.

The machine is timed in such a manner that after the leading edge is placed upon or has reached the suction pickup table 24 the suction is switched from pickup table 24 to the web feed head 26 so that the leading end of web W adheres to said web feed head. The web feed head 26 then advances with the leading end of web W across the entire length of suction table 28.

The web feed head is -secured to carrying bracket 114 which is loosely supported on shaft 116 and indirectly locked thereto by a spring-loaded pin 152 held by a lug 154. During the transit of web feed head 26, the carrying bracket 114, shaft 116 and roller supporting brackets 158 yand 160 are further supported by a roller 146 engaging in a horizontal track 148 integral with the top portion of a supporting member 150 secured to the bed 42.

For threading purposes bracket 114 may be raised and locked in raised position by pulling back the springloaded pin 152 lifting bracket 144 and re-engaging said pin with a second hole 156 (Fig. l) in bracket 114. Shaft 116 also loosely supports two forked brackets 158 and 160 which carry cutting rollers 162 and 164, respectively. Forked bracket 158 has a stop lug 166 (Fig. 3) engaging a stop screw 168 mounted on a member 170 secured to shaft 116. Member 170 further carries a pair of adjusting studs 172 surrounded by a compression spring (not shown) which engages and urges bracket 114 downward to provide a sucient pressure and resilience to the roller 162.

Forked bracket 160 which carries the second cutting roller 162 engages a lug 174 by means of a similar pair of compression springs (not shown) surrounding a pair of guide studs 176 which are held by a suitable bar 178 attached to said bracket 160. Bracket 160 furthermore is provided with a lug 180 engaging a stop screw 182 held by the member 170 to control the downward limit movement of roller 164.

During the forward movement of the feed head 26 the suction table 28 is in downwardmost position to provide sucient clearance for the feed head 26 to pull the leading edge of the web W across said suction table 28 and knife 36. The top of the suction table has a plurality of suitably spaced holes 184 communicating with a suction chamber 186 formed by the open bottom of suction table 28 and its vertical frame 30. Frame 30 is rigidly secured to a bottom plate 188 which covers a chamber 190 in a bracket 192 mounted on the cigar machine bed 42. Chamber 4 190 communicates with the chamber 130 which as mentioned heretofore is permanently connected to a suitable source of vacuum by the tube 132.

Suction chamber 186 of suction table 28 communicates with suction chamber 190 in bracket 192 through a suitable port 194 (Fig. 1). Port 194 is closed by a valve 196 when table 28 is in the downwardmost position. After feed head 26 has completed its forward motion, the suction table 28 slightly raises thus opening port 194 and permitting suction to enter the chamber 186 of suction head 28. At the same time valve 126 is closed (and valve 124 opened) to permit transfer of the web from web feed head 26 to the top of the suction table.

The suction table 28 is mounted to a vertical shaft 198 which is slidably supported in a suitable lbearing lug 200 secured to plate 118 of bracket 192. The lower end of vertical shaft 198 carries a lug 202 (Fig. 2) which has a track 204 slidably engaging a guide shoe 206. Guide shoe 206 is connected by a stud 208 to a bell crank cam arm 210 carrying a cam roller 212 which engages a cam 214 mounted on the main cam shaft 110. A tension spring 216 provides permanent engagement of cam roller 212 with cam 214. Cam arm 210 is pivotally supported by the shaft 140.

As mentioned above, the leading end of web W now lies across and is lirmly held to the suction table 28.

During the forward feed of carrying bracket 114, the feed head 26 is carried beyond the suction table 28 as shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 5. Knives 32 and 34 (Figs. 6, and 7) are secured to lugs 238 and246, respectively. Lug 238 (246) is pivotally supported by a vertical stud 240 (248) held by a suitable bracket 242 (250) secured to plate 138. A tension spring 244 (252) keeps the knife 32 (34) in contact with ledger plate 234 (236) which is secured to the suction table 28 as may be seen in Fig. 8. This mounting of the knives 32, 34 permits them to swing outwardly as shown in dotted line position in Fig. 5 during the forwardmost transit of the feed head 26.

After the leading end of the web has been dropped to table 28 and secured thereto by suction, the carrying bracket 114 begins its return. During this return, table 28 is in a moderately raised position so that the cutting rollers 162, 164 pass over and contact the V-shaped knife blade 36 to sever the length of material from the web W.

During this cutting operation, the suction table is verv tically locked and firmly held in place by means of a lock lever 220 which is pivoted by means of a stud 222 on bed 42. Lever 220 engages beneath a lug 224 secured to the suction table supporting shaft 198. The locking of the table 28 provides a firm support against the pressure of the cutting roller 162 and 164, since otherwise spring 216 would yield and the table 28 drop.

As shown in Fig. 3 lock lever 220 is pivoted on stud 222 to the bed 42. A spring 226 urges it beneath a lug 224 on suction table supporting shaft 198. The locker lever 220 carries a vertical stud 228 whose upper free end engages a cam bar 230 secured to the side of sliding bracket 82. Cam bar 230 accordingly operates locking lever 220 so that locking occurs only during the cutting operation.

After feed head 26 and cutting rollers 162, 164 have reached their backmost or starting position, the suction table 28 due to the action of cam 214 is moved further upwardly until it engages beneath a binder transfer head 232 of the binder transfer mechanism T. During this upward movement of the binder carrying suction head .28, the leading edge of the web is trimmed to the proper shape by knives 32 and 34 cutting in conjunction with ledger plates 234, 236, respectively.

Overrunning of the reel R is prevented by a friction band 247 anchored to a shaft 251 and carrying a weight 249 on its free end. Shaft 251 (Fig. 4) is held by a pair of lugs 253 projecting from bracket 40.

A modified embodiment of my invention is shown in Figs. and ll in which cutting of both ends of the binder is accomplished at one end of the suction head. Suction head 300 similar to suction head 28 (Figs. 1 9) has a stationary K-shaped knife 302 adjacent its first end and secured to a frame 304. Suction head 300 is vertically movable within the frame 304 secured to a plate 306 which corresponds to plate 18S above.

Shaft 310 is supported and transversely moved in the exact structure and manner as the shaft 116. Feed head 308 is supported and moved by the shaft 310. Cutting rollers 312 and 314 are supported respectively by brackets 330 and 332 rockably pivoted on shaft 310. Shaft 310 has stationarily secured to it lugs 334 and 336. A gear 32S is mounted on a vertical shaft 338 supported in the lug 334. Lug 334 further has two other spindle shafts 316 and 318 threaded in it to which are secured gears 324 and 326 which are both engaged with the gear 328. The bottom end of spindle 318 bears upon a lug 322 which projects from bracket 332 while spindle 316 engages the lug 320 secured to the bracket 330. Thus when the spindles are rotated in one direction they press downwardly on the lugs 320 and 322 to raise the rollers 312 and 314 and vice versa.

Vertical shaft 338 to which gear 323 is mounted carries an actuating nger 340. A set screw 342 in a lug 346 fastened to plate 306 is positioned to engage actuating finger 340 during the last portion of the return stroke of the shaft 310 and a similar stop screw 344 in a lug 348 secured to the plate 306 engages the actuating linger 340 during the last portion of the forward stroke of the shaft 310.

In operation, when the cutting rollers are at their starting position they will be in a raised position and will remain in this position until the end of the forward movement Vof the feed head 308. Toward the end of this forward movement the actuating nger 340 will strike the set screw 344, rotate the shaft 338 and gear 328 which in turn will rotate gears 324 and 326 and their spindles 316 and 318 to lower the cutting rollers. Upon the return movement the rollers contact the K-shaped knife 302 thereby cutting the binder web. K-shaped knife 302 severs the leading portion from the web, shapes the following edge of said leading portion and at the same time cuts the desired shape of the leading end of the next portion which will be severed on the next cycle. The operation of suction table 300 and feed head 308 is identical with the operation of table 28 and feed head 26.

I claim:

1. In a device for feeding a shaped sheet portion of tobacco web material to the transfer mechanism of a cigar machine, a source of said sheet material, frictional rollers to feed said sheet material from said sorce, a suction head to hold the leading end of said sheet material, a suction table to receive the leading portion of said web, a feed suction head mounted to reciprocate to and fro between said suction head and said suction table to draw said leading end of said sheet material from said suction head to said suction table, valve devices to successively apply suction to said suction head, said feed head and then to said suction table, means to connect said reciprocating suction feed head to said friction feed rollers to drive said rollers to feed a linear amount of said sheet material corresponding to the length of transit of said reciprocating feed head, said suction table being mounted for vertical movement, a knife positioned at the rst end of said suction table, cutting rollers mounted on said reciprocating feed means, and instrumentalities operative to raise said table to said rollers to move said rollers across the suction table and across said knife during the return stroke of said reciprocating feed head.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, further characterized by stationary knives located adjacent the second end of said suction table, said suction table being mova- 6 ble upwardly after the return stroke of said reciprocating feed head to trim the leading edge of said portion severed by said rollers and said first-named knife during the upward movement of said suction table.

3. A device suitable for attachment to a cigar machine to feed shaped portions from a continuous supply of t0- bacco sheet Web to said cigar machine comprising a' frame securable to a cigar machine, a source of tobacco sheet web, friction rollers secured to said frame to feed the leading end of said tobacco web from said source, a reciprocating carriage mounted for reciprocation on said frame, gripping means on said carriage suitable to grip the leading edge of a tobacco web, drive means to r0- tate said friction rollers a predetermined amount corresponding to the linear transit of said reciprocating carriage during its forward motion, said drive means operating in conjunction with the reciprocation of said reciprocating carriage, a cutting table positioned to receive the leading end portion of said web from said reciprocating carriage after said reciprocating carriage has moved across said table, gripping means on said table operative to hold said leading portion of said web delivered thereacross by said gripping means on said reciprocating carriage, said cutting table having stationary cutting means mounted thereon and along the rst edge of said cutting table, cutting rollers mounted on said reciprocating carriage in advance of said gripping means, said cutting table being vertically movable to a lower position during the forward position of said reciprocating carriage and movable to an upper position during the return transit of said reciprocating carriage, said upper position of said cutting table being sucient to raise said knife secured thereto into coacting position with said cutting rollers to sever a portion of the leading end of said web during the return stroke of said carriage, and stationary knives being secured to said frame and adjacent the second edge of said cutting table, said stationary knives being positioned in a predetermined position to trim the leading edge of said portion of web tobacco material severed by said rstnamed knives on said cutting material and said rollers, said cutting table being movable to an uppermost position from said upper position following the severance of said leading portion by said cutting rollers to trim said second-named stationary knives the leading edge of said portion of web material.

4. A device suitable for attachment to a cigar machine to feed shaped portions from a continuous supply of tobacco sheet web to said cigar machine comprising a frame securable to a cigar machine, a source of tobacco sheet web, friction rollers secured to said frame to feed the leading end of said tobacco web from said source, a reciprocating carriage mounted for reciprocation on said frame, gripping means on said carriage suitable to grip the leading edge of a tobacco web, drive means to rotate said friction rollers a predetermined amount corresponding to the linear transit of said reciprocating carriage during its forward motion, said drive means operating in conjunction with the reciprocation of said reciprocating carriage, a cutting table positioned to receive the leading end portion of said web from said reciprocating carriage after said reciprocating carriage has moved across said table, gripping means on said table operative to hold said leading portion of said web delivered thereacross by said gripping means on said reciprocating carriage, said cutting table having stationary cutting means mounted thereon and long the rst edge of said cutting table, cutting rollers mounted on said reciprocating carriage, said cutting table being vertically movable to a lower position during the forward position of said reciprocating carriage and movable to an upper position during the return transit of said reciprocating carriage, said upper position of said cutting table being sufficient to raise said knife secured thereto into coacting position with said cutting rollers to sever a portion of the leading end of said web during the return stroke of said carriage, and stationary knives being secured to said frame and adjacent the second edge of said cutting table, said stationary knivesl being positioned in a predetermined position to trim the leading edge of said portion of web tobacco material severed by said'rstnamed knives on said cutting material and said rollers, said cutting table being movable to an uppermost position from said upper position following the severance of said leading portion by said cuttng rollers to trim said second-naned stationary knives the leading edge of said portion of web material.

5. A device suitable for attachment to a cigar machine to feed shaped portions from a continuous supply of tobacco sheet web to said cigar machine comprising a frame securable to a cigar machine, a source of tobacco sheet web, friction rollers secured to said frame to feed the leading end of said tobacco web from said source, a reciprocating carriage mounted for reciprocation on said frame, gripping means on said carriage suitable to grip the leading edge of a tobacco web, drive means to rotate said friction rollers a predetermined amount corresponding to the linear transit of said reciprocating carriage during its forward motion, said drive means operating in conjunction with the reciprocation of said reciprocating carriage, a cutting table positioned to receive the leading end portion of said web from said reciprocating carriage after' said reciprocating carriage has moved across said table, gripping means on said table operative to hold said leading portion of said web delivered thereacross by said gripping means on said reciprocating carriage, said cutting table having stationary cutting means mounted thereon -and along the rst edge of said cutting table, and cutting rollers mounted on said reciprocation carriage, said cutting table being vertically movable to a lower position during the forward position of said reciprocating carriage and movable to an upper position during the return transit of said reciprocating carriage, said upper position of said cutting table being sufficient to raise said knife secured thereto into coacting position with said cutting rollers to sever a portion lof the leading end of said web during the return stroke of said carriage.

6. A device for feeding tobacco web material to a cigar machine to sever the leading portions thereof for use in said cigar machine, a reel of said tobacco web, a pair of friction rollers to intermittently feed said web from said reel, a carriage mounted for reciprocation toward and away from said friction rollers, gripping means on said carriage to grip the leading end of said web fed by said friction rollers, a vertically reciprocable table positioned beneath the path of transit of said carriage, a knife secured to the edge of said table, gripping means on said table to grip a leading portion of web fed thereacross by said gripping means on the reciprocating carriage, cutting rollers on said reciprocating carriage, and means to move said table upwardly during the return transit of said carriage to permit said cutting rollers to sever said portion of web fed across said table by coaction with said knife on said raised table.

7. In a device for severing a shaped portion from the leading end of a continuous web of tobacco web material, a compound knife comprising a knife shaped to form the rearward edge of said portion and a knife positioned rearwardly of said first-named knife and shaped to form the leading edge of said portion, means to feed a predetermined length of tobacco web material across said knife, and co-acting means to sever said predetermined length from said continuous web by coaction with said compound knife to form the rearward edge of said severed portion and the forward edge of the next subsequent portion.

8. A device suitable for attachment to va cigar machine to sever a shaped cigar binder from a continuous tobacco web, said device comprising a supporting frame, a source of tobacco web, a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said frame, a table supported in said frame for vertical movement, said table being positioned beneath a portion of the transit of said reciprocating carriage, cutting meansy secured to a first edge of said table and shaped to form a rearward edge of said binder, stationary knives positioned adjacent the second edge of said table and shaped to form a forward edge of said binder, gripping means on said table to grip tobacco web fed thereto, gripping means on said carriage to grip the leading edge of a tobacco web to draw it across said table during the reciprocation of said carriage, cutting rollers mounted on said carriage, instrumentalities to move said table vertically from a lowermost to a medial and to an uppermost position, said stationary knives adjacent the second edge of said table being swingable from said stationary position, said reciprocating carriage moving across said table when said table is in its lowermost position to draw the leading edge of the web thereacross, said swingable stationary knives being swingably movable from the path of said carriage, said table then being moved by said instrumentalities moving said table to its lowermost position during the feeding transit of said carriage, said in'strumentalities lthen moving said table to the medial position during the return transit of said carriage to engage said knife secured tol said table with said rollers on said carriage to sever the leadingend F portion of said web, said instrumentalities then raising said table to its uppermost position after the return of said carriage to sever the forward edge of said severed end portion by coaction of said table with said cutting knives whereby said severed end portion is suitably shaped as a cigar binder.

9. In a device suitable for attachment to a cigar machine for forming shaped cigar binders from a tobacco web, said device comprising a frame securable to a cigar machine, a source of tobacco web, a carriage reciproca'bly mounted on said frame, gripping means on said carriage to grip the leading edge of a web to draw said web forward on the feeding motion of said carriage, a knife mounted in said frame beneath the transit of said carriage, rollers on said carriage, and instrumentalities to engage said rollers with said knife during the return movement of said carriage to sever the leading end portion fed across said knife during the forward movement of said carriage.v

l0. In a device suitable for attachment to a cigar machine to feed shaped cigar binders from a source of tobacco web, a compound knife comprising a forward portion shaped to sever the rearward edge of a cigar binder and a rearward portion shaped to sever the forward edge of a cigar binder, gripping means mounted for reciprocation across said knife a predetermined distance and adapted to grip the leading edge of a tobacco web and draw it across said compound knife, coacting members operative to press a portion of said web against said knife to sever a portion from said web, said portion having its rearward edge formed at the forward portion of said knife and the resultant leading edge of said web being shaped in the form of the desired leading portion of a cigar binder by the rearward portion of said knife.

11. A device for feeding tobacco web material to a cigar machine to sever the leading portions thereof for use in said cigar machine, a reel of said tobacco web, a pair of friction rollers to intermittently feed said web from said reel, frictional means bearing on said reel to frictionally retard its rotation, an idler roller positioned between said reel and said friction rollers to engage said web from said reel to said friction rollers, said idler roller being supported by said web, a micro switch, instrumentalities connected to said idler roller to operate said micro switch upon failure of said web to support said idler roller, a carriage mounted for reciprooation toward and away from said friction rollers, gripping means on said carriage to gripthe 'leading end of said web fed by said friction rollers, a vertically reciprocable table positioned beneath the path of transit of said carriage, a knife secured to the edge of said table, gripping means on said table to grip a leading portion of web fed thereacross by said gripping means on the reciprocating carriage, cutting rollers on said reciprocating carriage, and means to move said table upwardly during the return transit of said carriage to permit said cutting rollers to sever said portion of web fed across said table by coaction with said knife on said raised table.

12. In a device suitable for attachment to a `cigar machine for feeding a portion of a tobacco web thereto, a source of supply of tobacco web, a supporting frame, a cutting table, a carriage mounted in said frame for reciprocation to and fro over said cutting table, gripping means on said carriage to grip the leading end of the tobacco web to draw it forwardly across said cutting table, a pair of tangentially mounted feed rollers rotatably supported to feed tobacco web to said gripping means, inter-engaging members coaXially secured to said rollers to rotate said rollers together to feed web therebetween,

uni-directional drive means to drive at least one of said rollers in one feeding direction only, reciprocating drive means to drive said carriage to and fro across said table, said uni-directional drive means to drive at least one of said rollers in one feeding direction only, reciprocating drive means to drive said carriage to and fro across said table, said uni-directional drive means being operatively connected to said reciprocating carriage to be controlled thereby during the forward feed movement of said carriage, whereby said reciprocating carriage may draw the leading end of a web fed from said source by `said rollers across said cutting table and return for a subsequent leading end of said web.

13. In a device suitable for attachment to a cigar machine for feeding a portion of a tobacco `web thereto, a Source of supply of tobacco web, a supporting frame, a cutting table, a carriage mounted in said frame for reciprocation to and fro over said cutting table, gripping means on said carriage to grip the leading end of the tobacco web to draw it forwardly across said cutting table, a pair of tangentially mounted feed rollers rotatably supported to feed tobacco `web to said gripping means, unidirectional drive means to drive at lleast one of said rollers in one feeding direction only, reciprocating drive means to drive said carriage to and fro across said table, said uni-directional drive means being operatively connected to said reciprocating carriage to be controlled thereby during the forward feed movement of said carriage whereby said reciprocating carriage may draw the leading end of a web fed from said source by said rollers across said cutting table and return for a subsequent leading end of said web.

14. In a device suitable for attachment to -a cigar machine for feeding a portion of a tobacco web thereto, a source of supply of tobacco web, a lsupporting frame, a cutting table, a carriage mounted in said frame for reciprocation to and fro over said cutting table, gripping means on said carriage to grip the leading end of the tobacco web to draw it forwardly across said cutting table, a .pair of tangentially mounted feed rollers rotatably supported to feed tobacco web to said gripping means, a drive sprocket, an idler sprocket, a chain trained across said idler sprocket and said drive sprocket, said reciprocating ycarriage being connected to said chain :so said chain moves therewith and a uni-directional clutch drive between said drive sprocket and at least one of said rollers to drive said roller in one direction only to feed web from said rollers on the forward feed movement of said carriage whereby said reciprocating carriage 'may draw the leading end of a web fed from said source by said rollers across said cutting table and return for a subsequent leading end of said web.

15. A device suitable for feeding shaped portions of web material from a continuous supply of such Web material, a table mounted for vertical movement from a lowermost position `upwardly to a medial position and then to topmost position, a knife on said table at one edge thereof and shaped to correspond to the rearward edge of a shaped portion of web material, a stationary knife mounted adjacent the other edge of said table and shaped to correspond to the forward edge of a shaped portion of web material, gripping means on said table to grip a portion of web fed thereacross, instrumentalities for feeding a portion of web across said table when it is in its lowermost position, means associated with said instrumentalities to coact with the knife on said table when said table is in the middle vertical position subsequent in cycle to the feed of web thereacross, said means coacting with said knife to sever a portion of web on said table, and said table then moving to its uppermost position to coact with said ystationary knife located adjacent :said table to shape the foremost edge of said portion on said table.

16. A device for feeding tobacco web material to a cigar machine to sever the leading portions thereof for use in said cigar machine, a source of web, a feed roller intermittently rotatable to feed web from said source, a carriage mounted for reciprocation toward and away from said feed roller, gripping means on said carriage to grip the leading end of said web feed by said roller, a vertically reciprocable ta-ble positioned beneath the path of transit of said carriage, a knife lsecured to the edge of said table, gripping means on said table to grip a leading portion of web fed thereacross by said gripping means on the reciprocating carriage, a roller on said reciprocating carriage, means to move said table upwardly during the return transit of said `carriage to permit said roller to sever said portion of web fed across said table by coaction of said roller with said knife upon said raised table.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the lelof this patent 683,713 Tyson Oct. 1, 1901 693,099 Bayler Feb. 11, 1902 1,647,254' Simmons Novjl, 1927 2,244,049 `Capps 4111116 3, 1941 2,349,750 Peterson May 23, 1944 2,483,735 INoell Oct. 4, 1949 

